Addressing a concern and getting help

People seated around a table, talking to one anotherSeeking help for an issue is courageous. As an academic employee, know that there are resources that can help you at UC Berkeley. Finding the right resources can be confusing, but if you pick a place to start, they can point you in the right direction. The best office to help you will depend on the type of concern you're experiencing. Below, you'll find a list of concerns and places to start getting support, reporting, and/or filing a grievance. 

For consultation, contact us at ofew@berkeley.edu.

Health and Disability

Medical leave or related leave

Support: If you have a medical condition, disability, or caregiving need for which you may need to take leave, you can find information on the APO Leaves and temporary workload modification for Senate faculty page. The Academic Personnel Office processes leave requests. You can consult with the Associate Vice Provost for the Faculty

You can find more information on the OFEW Leaves and Duty Modification page.

Disability accommodation requests

Support: As a faculty member you have a right to reasonable workplace accommodations for a qualifying disability. For more information, visit the Berkeley Accommodation Process for Academic Appointees with Disabilities. 

If you are organizing a campus-sponsored event, the Office of Disability Access and Compliance can assist with providing disability accommodations.

Reporting/grievance options: If you feel you have been incorrectly denied a workplace accommodation to which you are entitled, contact the Disability Access and Compliance office. 

Mental health needs

Support: Be Well at Work Employee Assistance within UHS is a good place to start getting help.

If you are seeking support for a student or colleague, the UC Mental Health Handbook (for all) and the Gold Folder (specifically for students) are very helpful resources.

Pregnancy/parenting accommodations and childcare

Support: Many supports (leaves, duty modifications, and resources) are available to new and expectant parents. You can find information about leaves and duty modifications on the APO Leaves and temporary workload modification for Senate faculty page.

You can find information about childcare and academic supports for faculty parents on the OFEW website and on the campus hub website for dependent care. 

You can consult with the Associate Vice Provost for the Faculty. 

Financial Support

Faculty/Staff Emergency Loan Program

Support: UCOP has contracted with two external suppliers who will provide an employee emergency loan program. Both suppliers have UC negotiated interest rates, are in complete compliance with the Truth in Lending requirements and will provide online application tools for employees to directly apply for emergency loans.

You can find more information at the Controller's Office. 

Equity

Concerns about equity

Support: If you have questions or concerns about equity (salary, your rank and step, resources, etc.), the Associate Vice Provost for the Faculty or the confidential Faculty Ombuds are good places to start. They can help you understand your rights and options. 

Reporting options: If you are concerned that you may have experienced discrimination based on a protected category, you may make a report to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination.

If you are concerned that your professional rights have been violated, or your privileges denied, you may wish to consult the Panel of Counselors about filing a grievance with the Privilege & Tenure Committee of the Academic Senate.

Conflict or climate issues

Conflict between individuals or groups

Support: For interpersonal conflicts between faculty, the Associate Vice Provost for the Faculty or the new, confidential Faculty Ombuds can be a good place to start. 

Faculty experiencing conflict with students or postdocs, or with staff, may also contact the Ombuds Office for Students and Postdoctoral Appointees or the Staff Ombuds Office, respectively.

Employee Assistance is also a good option to speak confidentially with a counselor.

Conflict within a department

Support: The resource may depend on the type of conflict your department is experiencing. The Associate Vice Provost for the Faculty can help point you in the right direction. Some options include: 

Harmful Incidents

Sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, sexual harassment, stalking, or invasions of sexual privacy

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Support: The PATH to Care Center is a confidential resource to start getting help for yourself or someone else. For 24/7 urgent confidential support, call the Care Line at 510-643-2005.

Reporting Options: You can report conduct that could be a violation of the UC Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD). (To understand your Responsible Employee reporting requirements as a faculty member, you can read more on the Understanding Reporting Obligations page of the SVSH hub website.) OPHD can formally investigate complaints and/or offer supportive measures, depending on the situation.

You may also make a report of sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, and/or stalking to the University of California Police Department or the local police department where the incident(s) occurred. 

Abusive conduct (including bullying)

Support: You can find information about addressing abusive conduct, including bullying and other demeaning and disruptive behavior, on the OFEW Addressing Bullying page.

Reporting options: You can report workplace conduct that might violate the 2023 UC Abusive Conduct in the Workplace policy to the Abusive Conduct reporting portal. The Abusive Conduct website has information about policy coverage and reporting obligations.

Discrimination or harassment on the basis of a protected category

Support: For confidential support with a concern of workplace harassment or discrimination, you can contact the Faculty Ombuds, Staff Ombuds Office (if one of the parties is a staff member), or Be Well at Work Employee Assistance.

Reporting options: To report concerns of protected category harassment or discrimination, the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) is a good place to start. OPHD can formally investigate complaints and/or offer supportive  measures, depending on the situation. 

Cases of disability discrimination or harassment are handled by the Disability Access and Compliance office.

Hate or intolerance or other traumatic incident

Support: Be Well at Work Employee Assistance within UHS is a good place to start getting help if you are dealing with the impact of a hate or bias incident. For incidents involving gender or sexual orientation, the Gender Equity Resource Center can also be very helpful.  

Identity-based staff and faculty organizations can also offer community and support.

This UHS resource about coping with trauma is useful whether you have experienced trauma yourself or are supporting someone else.

Reporting options: You can report a hate crime to the local police department; if the incident occurred on campus, that would be the UC Police Department.

You can report any hate or intolerance incident (whether or not it is a crime) via the UC systemwide intolerance report form. For more information, visit stophate.berkeley.edu. A designated local official reviews reports. Depending on how much information is provided, the campus may be able to take responsive action.

The Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) can provide consultation and refer you to support resources. OPHD can formally investigate complaints and/or offer supportive measures, depending on the situation.

Deadnaming or misgendering

Support: The Gender Equity Resource Center is a good place to start getting help if you are dealing with the impact of a deadnaming or misgendering incident.  Be Well at Work Employee Assistance, which offers confidential counseling, can also be helpful.

Reporting options: UC employees and students have the right to be addressed using their lived name and chosen pronouns. Deliberate/persistent deadnaming or misgendering can be reported to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD). OPHD can formally investigate complaints and/or offer supportive measures, depending on the situation.

Reporting other kinds of misconduct

Reporting misconduct by someone else: general information

For concerns about student conduct, you may report to the Center for Student Conduct.

If you have a concern about an employee's conduct, their supervisor can be a good place to start.

For conduct concerns about an employee that rise to the level of a potential policy violation, you may also report directly to the Vice Provost for the Faculty (if the concern is about another faculty member), to the Academic Personnel Office (if the concern is about a non-faculty academic appointee), or to Employee & Labor Relations (if the concern is about a non-academic staff member.)

For certain types of conduct concerns, specialized offices will handle the complaint, as noted below. If you are not sure where to start, you can contact the Associate Vice Provost for the Faculty.

Reporting research misconduct (research fraud, misuse of research funds, human subjects concerns)

You can make a report to the Vice Chancellor for Research.

Reporting misuse of University resources and/or known or suspected instances of improper governmental activities by UC employees

You can make a report to the University of California Whistleblower Hotline.

Reporting non-compliance with COVID-19 health and safety conditions

You can make a report using the COVID-19 Health and Safety Report form.